bickford



. f 2 Sheus-Sheeu 2 lL. BICKFRD.

Seed-Dropper.

No.- 63,001. y l Patented Mar.' 19, 1857.

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4LYMAN BICKFORD, QF yl\L^iGEl)()l\l7 NEW YORK.

Letters Patent No. 63,(Q1, dated Marchldi'.

IMPROVEMENT .IN GRAIN DRILLS.

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TO ALL WHOM vIT MAY CONOERN:

Be it known that I, LYMAN BICKFORD, of Maeedon, Wayne county, and State of New York, have invented a. new and'usefulImprovement. in Grain Drills; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, andexact description of the construction and voperation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of thisA specification, in which- Figure 1 is a rear elevation of-so much of a grain drill asisvnecessary to illustrate my-improvement.V

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section thereof through the grain box, taken in line z 9:, iig.v 3.

Figure 3 is a plan or top view. I

Figure 4 is a transverse section in line yy, tlg. 3.

Figure 5 is an isometrical view of the grain-distributing wheel.; and

Figures '6, 7, and 8 show modifications of the grain-wheel, hereinafter explained.

Similar letters' of reference, Wherever they are used, indicate likeparts in all the figures.

My invention relates to a novel construction of the grain-distributing wheels, whereby'they are adapted to the discharge or delivery of large and small grain or seed through runs located upon their opposite vertical sides; tothe construction and manner of applying the casings of said Wheels; and to the employment of a slide er slides for closing the run or delivery openings upon one side of the distributing-wheel, and simultaneously opening that upon the oppositie side, as hereinafter explained.

To enable others to make and use my invention, I will describe, with reference to the drawings,-how the samimay be carried out in practice. V I I Y In said drawings, A represents the grain box, which may be made with Haring sides, Aor in any usual manner, and `Al is a sliding bottom to said grain box, which, inlv this instance,vi's made up of a series of small hoppers, and the whole arranged to slide endwise, for the purpose of changing the delivery of the grain -from one to the other of the two series of seed runs hereinafter described.

i B'is'onle-of a series of distributing-wheels, of which there may be any desired or usual number, placed side by Sider-arid C C are the casings of said wheel, which are provided with top ianges, by which, through bolts or screws, they are secured to the bottom of the grain box in the usual manner. The wheelB is provided with an enlarged hub or centro, B', which has a square or otherl suitable form of opening through .it,vto receive and cause it to turn with the shaftl). The face a 'of the hub or enlarged -cen'tre is connected to the vertical face b of the distributing-wheel by a curved receding face c, (see ngt/3) or,.instead of being curved, the junction of thevvertical faces a and bof the wheel may be made by an 4angular or inclined face Vforming right or obtuse angles with said vertical faces. At thejunction of-said curved face c with the vertical face a on the hub or contre is a series of projecting ribs or st-arts, which 'are arranged in a circle around said hub or centre; and at the junction of the curved or angular face c with the vertical face Za onthe wheel, and near the periphery thereof, is anotherseries of starts'or ribs, 'd'. These starts or ribs, from their connection to and projection from the vertical faces of the wheel, and in contradistnc'tion to those formed upon the horizontal 'rimv or flange of the Wheel, as shown in figs. 6 and 7, I term vertical ribs or starts.

The casings C are formed with-curved funnel-shaped openings E, through which the'grailn or seed passes from the grain box A to the side or face of the distributing-Wheel; and with thel central circular openings F, which form bearings for the distributing-wheel, in the manner shown by the drawings. C are external ilanges, formed on the casingsA C, which are made-to conform in shape .to the. periphery'of the wheel, and are of a corresponding diameter withsaid wheel, so that, when-combined therewith, the external faces of said anges shall be ush with the periphery of the Wheel, as-'shown in gs. 1 and 2; or, instead of being made flush, as shown and described, the casings may be slightly enlarged, and the anges extended so as to meet outside the wheel in such manner as that the periphery of' the Wheel shall revolve 'in close proximity thereto.

G are elongated openings or slots in the sides of the c'asing's and'near the outsidev thereof, as shown in fig.

4, forming discharge or delivery outlets, through which the grain is delivered, and from which it is conducted t0 the desired point of deposit upon the ground, 'by means of drill teeth constructed in any/usual manner. y c c are perforated lugs or cars formed upon the casings, through which, by means of bolts or rivets, the casings are securely fastenedto each other at points outside the periphery of the enclosed wheel. These lugs are pro- 6. The casings of the distributing-Wheel, provided with the external flanges, and with the side Adelivery or discharge opening, substantially as described.

7. The employment'of the casings, provided with the 'external flanges and side-delivery openings, in com` bination with the vertical starting ribs or teeth on lthe side of the 'distributingfwheeh substantially' as described. 4

8, The employment of a. slide, 'in combination with the double distributing-wheel, for closing the seed ruil upon one side or faice thereof, .andsimultaneously-opening that upon the opposite side or face, substantially as described.

l 9. The adjustable block, or its equivalent, at the end of the grain box, in combinationwith the slide, sub- Stantially as and for the purpose'deseribed. I

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this eighteenth day of February, 1867.

' LYMAN BICKFORD.

Witnesses.

EDLLF. BROWN, Onlus. .mURGENsEm 

